Covid-19 Information for the People we Support to Keep Well & Connected

Accessible Self-Help Booklets:The Scottish Commission for Learning Disability has published a series of guided self-help booklets developed to support people with mild to moderate learning disabilities during the COVID-19 outbreak. The series covers many topics including coping with feeling down, getting a good night’s sleep, being active & staying well and copying with anxiety. The booklets are all online but printed copies can be ordered.

Activity Programme:Connect in the North have pulled together a timetable of weekly activities that are being run by organisations across Leeds for people with a learning disability. If you have any regular activities that you want adding, please contact let the team at CITN have the details.

Books Beyond Words:Have an amazing series of books dealing with some of the more uncomfortable discussions that we may all need to have in respect of coronavirus. These and many more of the books are free to download.

Connect in the North/Through the Maze:Producing some great information and activities for people with learning disabilities in Leeds. They have a timetable of weekly activities being offered by organisations across Leeds for people who are staying home.

Coronavirus/Covid-19 Easy Read:Lots of documents are being produced in easy read format. As these become available we’ll add them to the documents section of our website.

Digital Inclusion:100% Digital Leeds have provided details of their free Digital Champion training webinar for people supporting adults with learning disabilities. Called ‘How to be a Digital Champion: digital inclusion for people with learning disabilities’ the webinar will take place on Thursday, 4th June from 1-2pm. This training will give practical hints and tips on how you can motivate and support people to build their digital skill and confidence. The event is delivered by 100% Digital Leeds in partnership with CoSpace North and is part of the CoSpace North Online Lunch & Learning series. More details and booking via Eventbrite.

Easy on the I:Dean Milner-Bell has been very busy producing top quality coronavirus related easy read information which you can download from the documents section of this webpage (all the LYPFT ones). He’s also setting a regular quiz using the vast number of pictures he has in the image bank, so keep checking for these.

Every Mind Matters:Public Health England have some accessible information resources on their website, including BSL and audio versions, to support people with their mental health and wellbeing.

Exercise – guidance change:The Government has changed its FAQs on what you can and cannot do during the coronavirus outbreak: Question 15 now makes it clear that exercise is permitted more than once per day where an individual has a “significant health condition”. This “could include where individuals with learning disabilities or autism require specific exercise in an open space two or three times per day, ideally in line with a care plan agreed with a medical professional”.

Fitism 70 Live:
Michale Vaughan is promoting a free workout for the over 70s which can be accessed free via Facebook at 2:30pm every weekday. It is called Fitism 70 Live and will be useful for all vulnerable people who are self-isolating and need to keep their bodies moving

Handwashing Rap:This great handwashing rap has been produced by the St. Albans Purple All Stars to help people who have a learning disability follow the steps.

Healthwatch Survey:Healthwatch Leeds would like to know how lockdown is affecting people with a learning disability in Leeds. They are sharing real-time experience with health and care decision makers on a weekly basis to inform their response to the coronavirus outbreak. Please call them on 0113 898 0035, email them or follow the link.

Hospital Passport Add-on:Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust has brought out a great addition to the hospital passport for anyone we support who may need to be admitted to hospital with symptoms of coronavirus. You can download the Hospital Passport Covid-19 Add-on from the documents section of this page. (Although it looks like a pdf, it is a word version, honest!) NB. Please remember, this is an optional add-on, not a replacement for the usual hospital passport.

Intensive Interaction News:Graham Firth has told us about the Leeds STARS team (Specialist Training in Autism and Raising Standards) which is part of Leeds City Council Children’s Services. Their coronavirus resources webpage has links to various resources including social stories, symbols, talking mats, addressing worries and quick guides plus links to other external websites.

IT for Vulnerable People:A government-backed company called AutonoMe is offering free technology to help vulnerable people during the coronavirus outbreak.

Keeping Safe Online:This easy read guide for people with learning disabilities was developed by Jez during his time at CHANGE. It covers things like how to keep safe online, spotting the warning signs that you are not safe and what to do if you have a problem.

Learning Disability Specific Info:There’s information on LYPFT’s Get Checked Out page, including more of Dean’s great posters.

Learning Disability Timetable:Madeline and the Through the Maze team are maintaining a weekly timetable of online activities available for people with a learning disability.

Leeds Autism Aim:Has some really useful and practical Covid-19 resources on their webpage.

Leep 1:
Are putting on virtual activities – see their timetable in the documents section of this page.

Library Digital Inclusion Team:
is collating useful digital resources for people and workers supporting socially isolated people to make the most of digital to find accurate information, stay connected, and stay healthy. If you have anything you think might be useful to share, please pass it to Amy.Hearn@leeds.gov.uk or tag her on twitter with the handle @amy_hearn and/or #DigiConnectedLeeds

Mental Health & Well-being:
Some good advice on keeping well during the crisis can be found on the Mindwell site. Also the government has issued guidance about how to cope during the current crisis. It’s also worth noting that Carers Leeds are working tirelessly to support family carers. Find details on how to contact them on the ‘Information for Family Carers’ section of our website.

NAPA:Is a website with online and downloadable activities as well as some fab ideas

National Autism Society:World Autism Awareness Week (30 March to 5 April) has fallen within these difficult times. However, NAS has provided some information and resources to support autistic people and their families during the Covid-19 crisis.

Open Country:Do some amazing projects in Leeds, Harrogate, Wakefield and beyond. Their April newsletter is out now.

People in Action:If you want to keep fit and connected, why not sign up to the fab sessions being run by People in Action? They are running 3 one-hour Zoom sessions on most days:

11am – an activity specific session

2pm – Keep Active sport and physical activity sessions

4pm – social get together

The sessions are open to anyone with a learning disability. Details are on the People in Action Facebook page and on their Twitter feed. NB. the sessions are password protected so anyone wanting to join in just needs to contact the PiA team on 0113 244 3729 to get the password.

People Matters:Have produced a weekly workshop timetable of the great things they have going on.

Police Powers:West Yorkshire Police have produced a great easy read document explaining how they are making sure that people are staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic. You can find this in the documents section of this page called ‘Coronavirus: Policing Powers Easy Read’.

Purple Patch Arts:
Putting up activities on their facebook and website pages to keep connected with people. They have an updated programme, with lots of resources and activities for people to get engaged with whilst at home, and are putting ujp new things each day. You can also follow them on their Instagram and Twitter accounts.

They have also uploaded their Warm Up and Cool Down videos for you to boogie along with!

Pyramid of Arts:
Most of Pyramid of Art’s groups are now running weekly via Zoom If you support someone who would like to join or rejoin the groups, please contact info@pyramid.org.uk. Pyramid have posted up some really good suggestions for arts activities, singing and sensory environments that are easy to do at home.

Skype:A lot of people want to use Skype to make video calls, so we’ve added two easy read guides for how to do this:

Through the Maze:The have updated their website which now includes a new page with information about coronavirus. There’s also loads of ideas and activities for people to keep active and connected whilst they are being supported to stay at home.

An accessible guide to Coronavirus (COVID-19) designed by HFT to help people with learning disabilities understand what the virus is, what steps they will need to take to stay safe, and what to do if they think they have contracted Coronavirus.

(If you want to see this video in full screen, simply click on the little square in the bottom right-hand corner.)